Ben is looking for an adventure when he accepts a temporary assignment in Hong Kong, but he never anticipates how his life might change when he meets a sophisticated, intriguing man named Sai. Their initial attraction is sizzling and soon grows into more as Sai takes Ben on a tour of the city’s famous landmarks and introduces him to the local cuisine. Sai stimulates Ben’s intellect and curiosity, and for jaded corporate lawyer Sai, Ben’s innocent eagerness is a breath of fresh air. It would be so easy to fall in love….

But nothing is that simple. Sai’s job forces him to do things that violate his morals, and the difficult dynamics with his family is a major obstacle to any lasting relationship with Ben. Back in Toronto, Ben’s father is ill, and can he really leave behind his home for a man he’s only known a short time? With the clock ticking, they must decide whether to risk it all and turn three months into forever.

As an introduction to Hong Kong, “Three Months to Forever” serves as a wonderful travel guide while giving us glimpses of a modern society with roots in ancient China; tall skyscrapers backed by breathtaking mountains and Starbucks next to traditional herb shops. In Sai, we get a Columbia law school graduate who works as a corporate lawyer and struggles with balancing his unwavering loyalty to his family against their unquestionable business ethics.

Ben takes on a three-month assignment in Hong Kong and quickly falls into a friendship with Winston and his expat boyfriend Jacques, and Winston’s BF Sai. Sai intrigues and fascinates Ben and they begin a steamy relationship that thoroughly satisfies Sai’s dominant personality and Ben’s submissive. In the bedroom, their chemistry definitely sizzles.

But outside the bedroom, their relationship starts out with little character development or insight into their personalities. Sai plays his feelings very close to the chest and Ben is unwilling to delve into those emotions, continually reminding himself to be “nonthreatening, nonjudgmental, positive and open vibes all around” and resorting to looking up information about Sai online rather than asking him. Ben’s friendliness, exuberance, eagerness and energy appeal to Sai … and I hate to admit it, but at times the descriptors for Ben could equally apply to a puppy. The middle of the story is a bit slow, but the ending beautifully pulls everything together as Sai and Ben finally open up to one another and truly communicate their feelings.

I loved how this book fits so well into the Dreamspinner Press “World of Love” series and while their relationship started out with little insight, I appreciated how Sai and Ben finally got their HEA. 4 stars.